Chapter Seventeen:

They spent the first half of their 20 minute drive to Bo's in a comfortable silence. Bo was the first one to finally speak...

"Matthew wanted to have pizza for your welcome home party I hope that's okay."

"Pizza sounds great. Sals?"

"But of course."

She looked over at Bo for a moment and smiled. How could things be so easy but so complicated all at the same time?

Bo pulled into his parking space and turned off the engine.

"So you ready for your welcome home party? I know our son is."

She looked at him and smiled. "Our son", she thought to herself. Our son, those two words were years of dreams finally coming true.

"You bet I am."

Bo climbed out of the jeep and walked around to the passenger side. Bo lifted her out of the jeep and carried her into the building.

"My God, he smells good", she thought to herself.. "Freshly showered with a hint of lime."

"God, it feels so good to hold her like this", he thought to himself.

He stopped outside the door and before she could knock the door flew open and Matthew wrapped his arms around Bo's legs.

"You're home!"

"Whoa, there champ, you almost knocked your mom and me down."

"Sorry. Daddy why are you carrying mommy?"

Bo walks over and sets her down on "the" couch.

"Come here big guy and give me a hug."

"Mommy, why was daddy carrying you?"

"I can't walk around too well right now so daddy has to help me."

"Oh, cuz of your accident?"

"Yep."

"And because mom can't walk around you're going to have to give your old man here a hand taking care of her."

"I'll be the bestest helper there is."

"I bet you will be. Nora, darling how are you feeling?"

"I'm sore but it sure is good to be out of the hospital, Renee."

"Well my son and grandson here will take good care of you. They know how to take care of what's theirs."

Bo and Nora both shoot Asa a look.

"Mom, Grandma helped me order pizza for your party, but she made me clean my room, and then we made a sign, Do you like my sign mom? Grandpa hung it up for me, but I made it all by myself."

"It's the best sign I've ever seen."

"You're just saying that because you're my mom."

"No way, it's the best sign ever. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect "welcome home" sign."

The doorbell rings. Bo answers the door and pays for the pizza. Matt and Bo go into the kitchen to get everything ready for dinner. Asa and Renee say goodbye to Nora, Bo, and Matthew.

Bo and Matt "set" the coffee table for dinner. Matt talked non stop about everything he'd done with Asa and Renee that afternoon. Neither one of them could keep a smile off their faces as they watched their son describe his day with such enthusiasm. He finally ran out of things to tell them, and settled in one of the chairs with his dad. They put on a movie and thirty minutes later Matt was sound asleep in his father's arms.

"I'm going to put him to bed and then I'll get you your medicine. Hey, buddy, wake up and go say goodnight to your mom."

Matthew walked over to the couch still half asleep.

"But I'm not tired and the movie's not over."

"Matt you've been asleep in that chair for the past 45 minutes. It's time for bed, buster."

"Okay, night mom."

"Night, sweetie."

Bo tucked him in and read him the next chapter of Harry Potter. When he was done he walked into the kitchen and got Nora's medicine off the counter. He walked back out into the living room and sat down on the coffee table.

"Here ya go. Do you need anything else."

"No, I'm fine."

She swallowed the pill and laid her head back against the arm of the couch.

"You tired, Red?"

"Yeah, it's been a long day."

"Okay, let me go put this away and then I'll help you to bed."

Bo got up and cleared away what was left of their celebration. He walked back out into the living room and caught her trying to get up.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to bed."

"Nora, you know you can't make it back there on your own. What were you going to do, hop on one leg?"

She just looked at him.

"You were weren't you? You were going to try and hop back there on your own."

"Well I'm not going to have you carry me everywhere I need to go."

"That's exactly what I plan on doing."

"There is no way in hell you're carrying me to the bathroom, Buchanan."

"Oh, please there ain't nothing you've got that I haven't seen."

Nora is starting to get flustered which is exactly what Bo intended.

"That's not the point. We--we were well you know. We were together then. This is totally different."

"Get used to it little lady. I'm going to be the one to help you whether you like it or not."

"Fine. Can we finish discussing this in the morning? I'm tired."

Bo picked her up and carried her into his bedroom. He set her down on the bed and walked over to his dresser. He had asked Renee to clear out the first few drawers of his dresser and half his closet when she brought over Nora's clothes. Nora watched him, and the simple gesture brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly wiped away before Bo could see them.

He turned around and held up a simple nightgown.

"Will this do?"

"That's fine."

He closed the drawer and walked back over to the bed. She was struggling with the sling, only succeeding in causing herself more pain.

"Here let me help."

"Bo.."

"Will you just let me help."

He reached across her body and unclipped the sling. His scent was making her heart race. He laid the sling on the bed beside her. Bo stood up and walked to the other side of the room. Five minutes later she finally spoke.

"You can turn around now. Can you help me with my jeans?"

Bo walked over and sat down on the edge of it. He helped her lie down before he slowly pulled her jeans down over her hips.

"I think I'm going to swear off of those things until my pelvis heals."

"I think that might be a good idea."

He helps her find a comfortable position and then covers her up.

"See you in the morning, Red."

"Night, Bo."

Bo walked towards the door after turning the light off beside the bed.

"Bo?"

"Yeah", he said in the darkness.

"In case I forgot to tell you before, thanks, you know...for being here, for me and Matthew."

"It's no problem, Red, besides that's what being a family is all about."

To be continued....